In 2020, Malawians were buzzing with excitement after a court-ordered fresh presidential election gifted Malawi Congress Party leader Lazarus Chakwera the presidency.
It felt like a new dawn, with promises of “clearing the rubble” and “draining the swamp”.
Fast forward to 2025, that optimism had evaporated and his administration collapsed under broken promises, economic hardship and public frustration.
While policy failures and leadership missteps could be to blame, another player deserves scrutiny: the Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC).
For decades , the controversial State broadcaster has been accused of acting like a governing party megaphone.
Even under Chakwera, who promised reform, it clung to the same partisan script. Instead of balanced reporting, it praised MCP and the government, ignoring growing discontent.
That is where things began to unravel.
Politicians often comfort themselves with the propaganda model, which serves political elites’ interests through ownership, funding and selective sourcing.
MBC leadership crookedly claimed that it was State-owned and went to town quoting officials and ruling elites almost exclusively.
But propaganda only works when people do not notice the bias. Once they do, it collapses.
MBC also forgot that it is taxpayer-funded and the citizens who technically own it belong to different political parties.
Malawians noticed and complained as MBC painted a rosy picture of the economy while inflation, hunger and unemployment worsened.
MBC praised Chakwera’s leadership while fuel queues stretched for miles.
It ignored opposition voices and vilified critics, but the public was not fooled. They turned to social media and independent outlets for the real story.
MBC’s credibility nosedived, worsened by its obsessive hostility toward the opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
This was not just about politics, but betrayal of trust.
According to Uses and Gratifications theory, audiences actively choose media that meets their needs—whether for information, entertainment or simply feeling seen.
MBC failed on all fronts. It did not provide facts or reflect people’s struggles. It did not create space for dialogue. It was a one-way street of government praise.
So people tuned out. They flocked to platforms that allowed interaction, questioning and sharing.
MBC’s old-school, podium-style lecturing no longer worked. In tough times, people look to media for comfort or escape.
But MBC was too busy pushing MCP propaganda and it became irrelevant.
Now, propaganda is not always a dirty word. In politics, it can be powerful if used wisely and done intelligently.
First, it has to connect emotionally. Chakwera’s ear l y speeches did that. He spoke of hope, unity and renewal. But without action, those words lost their magic.
Second , the messenger matters. People trust relatable voices. MBC stuck to suspicious characters: Self-seeking officials, dubious analysts and tired commentators who felt distant.
Consistency is also key. If you say one thing and reality shows another, people will call you out. MBC praised job creation while unemployment soared. It touted infrastructure projects while purchasing power and essential services waned.
Worse, many projects appeared conveniently timed for elections, undermining credibility. The contradiction killed the message.
In today’s world, you can’t rely on one channel. MCP propagandists entirely missed the youth, who turned to digital platforms to escape from MBC.
Finally, you must listen. Feedback is not noise, but insight. When surveys showed most Malawians believed the country was heading in the wrong direction, MBC should have adjusted its tone.
Instead, it doubled down, making people feel unheard. Opinion polls increasingly damned the Chakwera administration, yet MBC insisted otherwise.
The takeaway? Chakwera’s fall was not just about governance failures. It was also about communication failures.
MBC had the chance to be a bridge between government and people. Instead, it became a wall.
In a democracy, media should reflect vox populi (the people’s voice), not just echo the president’s. When it fails, trust erodes—and so does power.
Future management should take note: Propaganda is not about shouting louder, but speaking smarter, empathy, honesty and connecting with the people.
Malawians do not just want to be told what’s happening; they want to feel like they matter. If your media can’t deliver that, you’ve already lost the plot.
The next leadership must transform MBC into a true public broadcaster, not aState-owned mouthpiece. Only then will it rally the masses toward genuine development
FREDERICK NDALA JNR
The author is a journalist and communication specialist who once worked as President Peter Mutharika’s press secretary. He writes in his personal capacity.
